Key result
Surgical and catheter-based ablation techniques provide definitive treatment options for atrial fibrillation, addressing the ineffectiveness and side effects of pharmacological management.
This review summarizes the rationale and results of current surgical and catheter-based ablation techniques for atrial fibrillation.
Reinforces ablation for drug-refractory AF; leaves open optimal technique selection pending prospective trials.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice. It occurs particularly frequently in cardiac surgical patients and is associated with significant excess mortality and morbidity. Pharmacological management of AF is relatively ineffective and associated with significant side effects and complications. Clinicians have therefore pursued more definitive treatment options, both catheter based and surgical, to treat patients with AF. Surgical techniques designed to cure AF have developed in parallel with an improved understanding of the pathophysiological processes underlying this condition. This review describes the rationale behind current surgical approaches to AF and summarizes the results achieved with current techniques.
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Chikwe et al. (2009) conducted a review in Atrial fibrillation. Surgical and catheter-based ablation was evaluated. Surgical and catheter-based ablation techniques provide definitive treatment options for atrial fibrillation, addressing the ineffectiveness and side effects of pharmacological management.
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